Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-01-21

School Of Mines ut Rapid Citv ........ II .53l OF
University at Grand Forks. ........... i1g,A. 90
University ut Velmillion. :. .......... A34T4 Al
Public institutions, total exclusive
VI sho Cspital. .............. SoA'.E'3 80
The Territory has i'll the two years paid
5000, S72.28 for charities and charitable in
stitutons. S237 ,971.59 for education and
educational institutions, and Sl6O, 1Sl.47
for criminal and penal institutions. Among
the items for criminals not already emu
meratea are the following: Court expenses
in unorganized counties, $5,S03.30; sala-
ries of district attorneys, S1,5CO; return of
fugitives from justice, 1924. The war
rants drawn upon vouchers of the capitol
commission have amounted to $52,50u.6u.
none Of which have been paid. The ex-
penlitures for the last session of the Legis-
lature, exclusive Of the amounts paid by
the general government for per diem and
mileage Of members, ETC., foot up S2l,-
2l7.T. The total expenditures for general
Territorial Offices paid by the Territory,
including salaries, contingent expenses,
maintenance, etc., have been SAG, goo. 90
for the two years. Payments on account
of the militia have amountedto 1914, 2l2. 5l.
The board of agriculture has drawn
$7,021.44. The board of health has drawn
$2,SS1.67, of which $1,0G0.S5 was for sup
pressing the pleuro- pneumonia in y herd
OF cattle in Oliver County.
The total assessment of the Territory for
1885 amounted to $lG6, 99,549, and in
1886 to S132, 542, 7C3. The increase of 1885
over the previous year was % per cent,
and OF 1886 over 1885 nearly rs per cent.
The average total levy for 1885, for both
ordinary revenue and bond interest, was ;
mills, and in 1885 it was "a mills-a de-
crease of 20 per cent.--and the levy for
either year was less than the statutory limit,
x,1,; n
alone, and as much as may he necessary
for bond interest. Among the suggestions
made by the Auditor for changes in the
revenue law, the following may be men,
! toned: Providing for more minute c}assifi-
cation and enumeration of property in as
sessments. Requiring specification of any
| thing for which an exemption or deduction
is claimed. Adoption of uniform pattern
of assessment blanks throughout the Ter
ritory, SO that the returns can be compared.
Making all classes of intangible personal
property-such as credits, notes, stocks,
bonds. mortgages, judgments, liens, etc.,
taxable, either where It may be created,
where it may be recorded, if subject to
record, where it may be celieetsble, where
the tangible property to which it refers may
be tax d, or where it may be deposited or
kept. In regard to this the auditor says.
The universal experience of officials con-
neeted with the duties Of assessment shows
that slarge proportion Of the Intangible
property Of any commonwealth altogether
escapes, OF, if assessed at all, it ia listed nj
sist in compelling the listing of such prop
erty for taxation ought to BE- done--for
everey person who enjoys the protection Of
Government, FOR either himself OF his
property, ought to contribute to the expense
thereof" The auditor further suggests
that the Congressional permission to tax
National bank shares be accepted in terms
SO that the stock Of nonresident holders
can be taxed in this Territory, the same as
that of resident holders-otherwise it en-
tirely escapes being taxed anywhere. That
Of May I, and that the elevator be made
liable for the tax. That railroad lands
sold conditionally be taxed the Same as
those sold Internationally. That measures
be enacted which can more surely
reach the large herds Of cattle ON
ranges, and the large amounts of
property in the mining regions OF the Ter
ritory. That commission merchants shall
list in their own names the goods they may
have in commission, as we'll as those which
they may buy. That there be more def
mite expressions regarding exemptions for
tree planting That any taxpayer may Sc
cssAS ss&seSAAAAASAeS IVA PSA'S.AA PASt>~A'y VI
which taxes are unpaid by fling complaint
before justice of the peace, if the owner
attempts to remove it from the assessment
district, unless he has real estate liable for
his personal taxes. That claim FOR per-
sonal taxes shall be superior to cbattel
mortgage, the same as claim foy land
taxes is superior to real estate mortgage
That steps be taken for stra ghtening Out
the accounts of the Territory against 8
number of counties for claims several yea1t
old. That the entire revenue law have /,
complete and step -step overhauling, Sc
~ to secure correction of conf. cts, o1nis-
sions and antiquities.
In 1885, seventy-s;x insurance companies
did business in the Territory through 3,s7t
agents, and in 1856 there were eigLty-fo
companies represented by 1905 agents
The fees Of the department for the two
years were $12,3e4.20, the surplus q;
which over expenses was $3,949. 35-as
against $35 in the previous period-oi
which surplus $1,000 was paid for clerl
hire IN the Governors Office. and So, 949. Is
turned into the Territorial Treasury. The
insurance taxes in 1885 amounted to S.
1886, and in 1886 to $20,406.55. The
following table is given: